A Simple Life
by Phsycho Princess
Summary: Kagome and her son live in a rundown trailer park near the edge of town, she works two jobs to make ends meet, her son is an aspiring artist. When she calls in a favor from an old friend she gets far more than she ever bargened for. On Hold
1. An Average Morning

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_A/N__ - Ok so you know, I HATE AUTHOR'S NOTES. This is hopefully the only one that I will have for you. Ok, the reason I'm doing this is to tell you that this story has little, if anything, to do with the original story line created by Rumiko Takahashi. I started writhing this some time last year, shortly after I finished watching the end of the series, Japanese version, and stopped after writing chapter one. So there might be some discrepancies in the style of my writing form this chapter to the next. This is my own little twisted world, there will be cursing, drugs, alcohol, and possibly scenes sexual or of violent sexual nature. This will be your only warning, but, if I do have a scene of sexual nature that is not permitted on this site I will give you the address at the end of the proceeding chapter. Also please excuse any grammatic, permutational, or spelling errors; I don't have anyone to read it over and check for that._**

**Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha, if I did this would be on television and not the internet. The anime and Manga was created and is owned by Rumiko Takahashi, the English dub belongs to Funimation. I do own Kojuro and his friends don't steal them. Also so you know this is only going to appear in this chapter but it applies to all proceeding chapters of this story.**

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**Chapter 1**

An Average Morning

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She drove down the freeway fuming silently. 'How dare he think that I would stoop so low as to sell myself. I'm not one of those dirty whores; I do have some self-respect left! I wouldn't want to soil myself with his filthy hands. Disgusting pig.' Her thoughts followed those lines throughout the duration of her ride home. At some point in her drive she noticed that she was running several minutes behind schedule, she was going to have to hurry so that she could wake her son up and keep him from being late for school. 

She hated running late; there was never enough time in the day for her to be late, she was scheduled down to her last minute. This was, of course, because she had two full-time jobs, one on either side of town. She might have been able to get by with only one but then she wouldn't be able to save up enough for he son's college fund, he was going whether he wanted to or not. She hadn't even finished high school; she was forced to drop out when she got pregnant, she had wanted to get into a university and become a doctor, but that dream came crashing down when that test read positive.

She pulled into the driveway of her trailer park home, it was shall, but it kept a roof over her and her son's head. Shutting off the car and walking it the door she couldn't help but to smile as she noticed her fat cat Buyo was lying out in the middle of her flower bed. He may have been an old cat, 20 years to be exact, but he didn't act it. He had been her pt since her mother gave him to her on her eleventh birthday. She had been so thrilled then to have a pet that she spoiled him rotten, resulting in his current obesity.

Unlocking the door and entering, she walked down the short hallway to the first door knocking to see if her son had already woken up. Getting no reply she double checked the time, seeing if she would have time to change before he needed to be woken up, she didn't like him seeing her in her work clothes, it always upset him when he was reminded of what his mother did for a living. Finding that she was still slightly behind schedule she opened the door to her son's room and walked over to his bed.

His room was truly him, the walls were concealed behind posters of his favorite bands, his guitar and amplifier stowed in the corner of his room next to the window, and his carpet covered with a large area rug with _his _face on it; Kojuro's favorite singer and guitarist, _Inuyasha_. She leaned over her son placing her hand on his shoulder and shaking him slightly as she called out to him quietly. "Kojuro, wake up sweetheart, you're gonna' be late for school if you don't get up."

He groaned as he slowly reentered the waking world, he sleep slurred voice came through the bed sheets. "Do I have ta' go ta'day Mama? I don't wanna' get up." He proceeded to pull the covers up over his head.

She gave a slight smile at his antics that quickly disappeared from her features, "I'm sorry baby but you have to go to school, that is unless you want to live in a hole like this your entire life."

Yawning to him self he sat up, "I never said that I minded living the way we do now." He noticed her slight frown, "I'm with you so who cares what kind of house we are in, so long as we're together."

A rare but true smile broke its way onto her face, making her look several years younger. "That is possibly the sweetest thing I've ever heard." She kissed his forehead softly, and her smile vanished, "But you still have to go to school."

He pouted, "Fine. But only because you want me to Oka-chan." He then noticed what she was wearing and frowned, her half top and open sided faux leather pants reminding him of his mother's occupation once again. It wasn't that he was ashamed of her, he just hated that she was reduced to it. She was a smart woman, of this he was sure, and she didn't deserve to be treated the way she was there. All the playfulness drained from his voice,"I must really be late then, you didn't even have time to change."

She frowned slightly at his mood swing, "Just a little bit. Why don't ou go hop in the shower while I make us some breakfast?" He nodded in accent, and walked across the hall to the bathroom.

Leaving his room she walked to the end of the hall and into her room to change. Grabbing a loose blouse and a pair of dress pants she slipped out of her clothes and into the set she had just pulled out. Walking to her full length mirror she checked her appearance. Deep brown eyed stared back at her, watching as she pulled her waist length wavy black hair into a neat bun on top of her head. She started humming to herself, it was a slightly melancholy melody and for the life of her she couldn't remember where she had heard it, or what the words were, but it always raised her spirits.

Satisfied with her appearance she headed back down the hall and into the kitchen where she started fixing her son's favorite, strawberry pancakes, She felt slightly guilty for not changing before waking her son, so she decided this treat would make up for it; that and changing her clothes while he was in the shower. She heard the water stop running as she started cooking, and by the time her son entered the kitchen she had a decent sized plate of pancakes ready for him. She smiled a small smile as she placed the plate in front of him, "You'd better eat quickly if you ant to get to school on time."

He thanked her and replied, "Who said I wanted to get to school on time? I would be fine with being late for one." None the less he started shoveling the pancakes into his mouth. She sat down opposite him and glanced again to the clock. "Did you want to drive yourself to school today?"

He eyed his mother suspiciously. She had never yet let him drive through the more densely populated streets, but who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Seriously?" She nodded, as a smile broke out across his face. "That would be awesome. But if you don't mind me asking, why?"

"Well you have been doing a lit better with it so i figured that this was the next step." She regarded him for a moment, "That is unless you don't think you can handle it."

"Of course I can handle it." He said almost too quickly, almost spraying his mother with the mound of pancake he had shoved into his mouth. Regaining his composure hs added, "I believe that you have given me enough instruction and practice that it won't be a problem."

She laughed lightly at him; 'He is so much like his father.' She chided herself; 'It doesn't do me any good to compare him to his father, besides they don't even look alike. Granted they have the same facial structure and act a lit alike, but that is where their resemblance ends; at least during the daylight hours.' Kojuro's violet eyes and waist length black hair were in stark contrast to any inu youkai, they all have white hair and golden eyes. 'Though at night you can hardly tell the two apart, except their ears, they, at least, are different.' She stopped that line of thought where it was, it would only lead her back to the tears she had faced for years after it happened. "Good then you best hurry up with your breakfast so we can get going. I don't want to be late for work."

"Why do you have to work two jobs anyway? We could make do with one each; I just got that job at Wac Donalds. I could give you most of my check to help with the bills." He hoped she would go for it he didn't like her working so hard, it wasn't healthy, and he hated where she had to work, it degraded her far more than any good person deserved.

She shook her head slightly in exasperation, "I told you honey, I need to save money for you to go to college." She held up her hand to forestall his objection, "I know that you think that you don't want to go, but perhaps that will change in the next couple of years. Have you even liked at the course schedule or the degrees they offer? You might see something that you want to go for."

He thought for a moment, considering a tactic that he had not yet used in all the times they had gotten into this discussion. "So if I look through their catalog, dee nothing that even remotely interests me, then what?"

She eyed him to see if he was trying to pull something, "Well, if you look through it and can tell me honestly that nothing in it interests you, then, I guess I will give you idea honest consideration."

A smile broke across his face. "Alright; this weekend we can go down to the college and get the catalog, right?"

"Sure." She smiled secretively to herself. She knew of at least three classes and a degree that would interest him; vocational arts 101, guitar 215, amplifiers 221, and the associates degree of fine arts in music. He had made it too easy this time around; she didn't even need to raise her voice or pull the "because I say so" line on him.

They finished their breakfast shortly there after; rinsing their dishes they left the house locking the door behind them. As they approached the car Kagome handed her son the keys smiling softly at him.

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_A/N - I know I said that I don't like these but this is something that my sister brought up about Kagome's clothes and her not changing at work. I had a friend that worked in a place like that and she told me about how the girls in back aren't all that nice, to put it lightly. She told about how one woman she worked with who hit another woman with her high heal hard enough to crack her skull. So it is gust my guess that she would avoid the changing rooms._**


	2. A Day in School

**_A/N- Be happy, I got onto my sister's computer and put this through Microsoft Word to fix all my spelling and grammar errors. I did it to chapter 1 also if you wanted to go back and read it without the mistakes._****

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Chapter 2

A Day in School

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He had a feeling that today would be an excellent day from the moment that he had finally gotten his mother to agree to give him a choice in his schooling. It had gotten better and better until lunch period, when he had to deal with that rich bastard Inutashio. He didn't even go to the school; just came down to see some of his friends and be an ass to the other students. He was the coldest son of a bitch Kojuro had ever had the displeasure of meeting; it was hard to believe that he was "The Hayou's" son, even if they were almost identical, but he was most defiantly his mother's son. 

She was the coldest woman Kojuro had ever seen. She acted as though she couldn't feel anything but anger, loathing, and sadistic humor. Though he had never met the woman he was sure that she was a horrible person and he wondered what "The Hayou" saw in her.

Kojuro's best friend, bass player in his band, saw Kojuro watching as the stoic teen pushed a freshmen into the trash bin he and his friends were walking past. "He's such an ass; I don't know why the teachers let him onto campus." Allen looked directly into Kojuro's violet eyes. "I know what you're thinking. But, before you do _anything_, think of the repercussions. If you get expelled then your mom will forbid you to go out tonight, and Demonic will loose all its credibility and never get another gig."

Kojuro looked at his friend incredulously. "I know that the band means a lot to you, and me as well, but some things are bigger than that. I would, not only, be unable to go out tonight but I would have to go into that stupid private school and mom would have to get more overtime and never get any sleep. Then I would have to get more time at my job so that she might get some sleep and then I wouldn't have any time to be in the band period."

Allen paled slightly and grabbed Kojuro's arm, "You wouldn't do that. The band is your life."

"No, the band is your life. No matter how much I _want_ to put it first; I can't." Kojuro sighed in exasperation. He knew that Allen was probably just being dramatic, but he wasn't in the mood for his antics.

Allen shook his head sadly, "I know I'm just hoping that someday you will change your mind and put us first."

Kojuro rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He and Allen continued on their way over to their usual table where the other friend Scott, who was also the band's drummer, was waiting for them.

"Dude, did you see what that mother fucker was doing to that freshmen? I mean really, I can see how they might need to be put in their place, but slamming their head in their own locker... That just doesn't seem right." Scott said as Kojuro and Allen took seats across the table from him.

"No we didn't see it, we only saw him trash can a guy. Wish I had seen though." Allen looked slightly depressed for a moment. "If I had than I might have been able to convince the kid to go to the principal about it. Maybe if there was a complaint against him they would do something about him."

Kojuro looked back at the white haired teen surrounded by a group of seniors, "They wouldn't do anything. He would buy them off or something; might just convince them that you were the one who hit him and get you expelled." He turned back to his group of friends.

Allen sighed, "You're probably right. Actually, thinking about it, it may have been tried before. Do you guys remember Thomas Burgess?"

"Dude, you think _Thomas_ would have the guts to do something like that? Never happen." Scott looked a bit taken aback.

"Seriously, _Thomas_… He wouldn't even stand up for himself when we poked fun at him; and you think that he would go up against the ass hole of the year?" Kojuro agreed. It wasn't as though they were mean, but they liked to have their fun some times. He had been one of the lucky freshmen in his year, his friends were already sophomores when he got there, and he just joined right into their little click. "Besides, he didn't get expelled. He moved to Utah, or some where like that."

Allen sighed, "Fine just spoil all my fun. See if I entertain your next ridicules thoughts."

The rest of the school day passed without anything major happening. Leaving his last class Kojuro couldn't shake the feeling that he was for getting something, it seemed to be just out of reach in the recesses of his mind. He shook it off; if he couldn't remember then it obviously wasn't important. Meeting up with his friends they walked down to the student parking lot, heading for Allen's 'right me up red' mustang. He always did like his things to be flashy, hell his guitar was the exact same color. But looks were deceiving, this car wasn't the cherry it posed as, it was a piece of shit with a nice paint job.

Half way through the parking lot the three were almost knocked over as a sleek black convertible came barreling through the parking lot, cutting across their path. The ass hole was back on their campus. The car pulled up in front of the 'popular', and the top folded back as the students began talking.

"What's his problem? Is he _trying_ to kill someone; or is he just an idiot?" Allen asked in a dry tone.

"No, he just doesn't see us as anything worth notice. You know how those rich bitches are. 'If you don't have money you are no one.'" Scott replied in an equally dry tone glaring at the 'populars'. "I'm sure they take classes for it."

Kojuro, the usual calm member of the group felt his blood boil. How dare he! He nearly sideswipes them then goes to chat with his friends as though it didn't happen. This wasn't even the first time he had seen it happen, though it was the first time he had been the victim. _This ends now._

"Kojuro, where ar' you goin'?"

"Dude what's up?"

He hadn't even realized that he had started towards the black convertible. "This ends. He has no regard for others. He needs to realize that there are consequences to his actions. Maybe nobody else is willing to stand up to him, but I'm not going to let him treat me like I'm a piece of trash that he can just toss aside." He didn't know what he was going to say when he got there or even if his friends would allow him to make it over to the car, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was that that ass hole got what he deserved.

Allen and Scott looked at each other baffled. This was so unlike the Kojuro they knew. He didn't go picking fights in the school parking lot, he always just let things slide. He was a mama's boy; she didn't want him fighting, so he didn't. And yet here he was, walking over to the millionaire's son ready to bash his skull in.

Allen snapped out of his stupor, "We have ta' stop him."

"Or at least back him up." Scott amended. "He doesn't know how those dudes operate. You don't fight just one of them, you fight all of them. Besides," he added, "He's right, it's time this ended." Kojuro was half way across the parking lot when they caught up with him. "Dude, we're with ya'."

Kojuro gave them a nod in appreciation, to pissed off to reply, if he did he felt that his anger would die out before he made it to the car. As they got close enough he interrupted their 'pointless' conversation, "Hey Ass hole."

The group of teens turned their heads in unison towards the approaching group. "Look," a female of the group commented, "The social rejects think their important enough to speak in our presents."

Kojuro took his eyes off the white haired teen and turned to the girl who had spoken. She was on the cheerleading squad, just another blond haired blue eyed bimbo. When he was a freshmen that was the kind of girl he thought he wanted, till he realized how shallow they almost stereotactically were. "Mind your own business barbie." His tone was cold, "I'm not here to try and weasel my way into your little group. Nor am I here to be all 'fan boy' over you. I'm here to talk to the Dipshit that almost ran me and my friends over."

Inutashio took no note of the indignant look on 'barbie's' face. "And? What of it?" By his tone it was obvious that he couldn't care less about what Kojuro was going to say, that he was just humoring him so that he would go away faster.

"I just wanted to know if you knew that attempted murder is illegal." He was fuming; the cold shoulder he was receiving wasn't helping to alleviate his anger. If anything, it was fueling it.

Inutashio raised an eyebrow, "I didn't try to kill you."

"You nearly fucking ran me and my friends over!" His raised voice was gaining the attention of the students that hadn't yet left school grounds, and they began walking towards the odd assortment of teens.

"If anything it was reckless endangerment," He commented calmly, "A slap on the wrist and a fine; nothing to be worried about."

"This isn't the first time you've done this; you do it almost every day. I'm tired of it, I'm tired of you. Take your fancy new car your daddy bought you; and get the hell outa' my school."

"And, if I refuse?"

"Then get out of you death trap and make me back off."

"Oh? You want to fight me? You think you can win in a fight with me?" He gave a hallow laugh.

"Why don't you get out of the car so we can find out? Or, are you to chicken?" Several of the students now grouped around them to watch the show gasped in shock, no one called Inutashio a coward, it just wasn't done! But this loner just through the social rule book straight out the window.

Kojuro gave him a condescending smirk. The look on Inutashio's face was priceless to him, the mixture of baffled anger and indignation; it was enough to convince Kojuro that this was worth what ever pain was going to be inflicted on him. Allen and Scott took their places flanking him, and nodded in agreement, showing their support.

Inutashio glared at the black haired boy in front of him. "Would you be so tough without your friends with you? What do you expect me to go up against all three of you? I can, but, from your _moral_ standing I don't see how that works; three on one, how very _noble_ of you." It was the most emotion Kojuro had ever seen from the white haired teen, he was shocked he didn't keel over and die on the spot from an overload.

"They won't fight you, just your friends if they decide to get involved, not that they would, might ruin their hair you know. This is just between you and me." Kojuro knew he was trying to make him lose face in the eyes of his peers, but that didn't mean he was going to let him. Besides, he didn't care what they thought of him. Only his friends mattered, and they stood at his sides.

Inutashio didn't bother with the door, he jump over the side of the car on to the asphalt. _He's right about one thing, this ends here. I'll show them, there's a reason no one stands up to me._

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_A/N - Wow that's the most talking I've ever done in one chapter, amazing. I know it sucked and they didn't stay in character but... Wow. Oh, one more thing, I don't think that I mentioned that demons aren't widely known about. The only people who know are those who have been told by their demon or hayou friends/lover/watever and those of great spiritual power, who can feel them even if they don't know what it is that they are feeling._**


	3. Problems in Paradise

**_A/N - Sorry for the long wait, I've been waiting for a month for someone who said that they would beta read for me to send back this chapter; they never did so I did my best, enjoy._**

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Chapter 3

Problems in Paradise

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Kagome stood resting her hands on the podium in the front entrance of a fancy Italian restaurant looking slightly harassed as she looked through the ledger in front of her. She had been on the phone with this 'gentlemen' for half an hour; he didn't seem to understand that they were booked for large partied through the next three months. As far as she could tell he had offered her anything short of a Roils Royce to get a table for twelve in the next three days. Looking up from her ledger her eyes scanned the room trying to figure out a way to fit his party into the main dining hall, not that she would accept his bribe, but the restaurant policy require her to make the attempt. The dining hall had a gilded appearance, it was really quite breath taking; the high ceiling painted in an angel motif supported by gold colored carved columns. The raised area to her right, sectioned off by a gilded rail and a short flight of stairs, held all the tables for two, small round tables with a gold and white table cloths adorned with a red rose in a turned glass vase, two ivory candle sticks, gold trimmed crystal goblets, and red cloth napkins holding the gold silverware. She sighed, there wasn't any way she could get the in there. Turing her attention to the center of the room, she looked for a way to fit the party into the center hall, the larger round tables in the middle wouldn't be any good, they didn't want to be separated. Along the back wall was the only place that held square tables, granted, the banquet halls residing behind the doors on the left and back walls would be ideal, but there wasn't any way to get his party in. 

She looked down to her seating charts for the next few days, this didn't help, of the six tables she couldn't find a time that had enough open for her to use them, even if she called and asked to change other guests reservation times. 'Arrogant, pompous, jerk.' she thought silently still appraising the ledger, 'Guy's like him think everything should just bend to their will.' She clenched her delicate hands into fists. 'Just like _him_.' She shook those thoughts out of her head, it wouldn't do her any good to get herself so worked up; it could even cost her. Being a hostess in an upscale restaurant she was expected to act in a way outlined at the start of her employment, she wasn't allowed to argue or be rude to the customers in any way.

She picked up the cordless phone and spoke in a calm collected tone, "Sir, I'm sorry but there doesn't seem to be any way that I'll be able to fit you in. If you would like you may leave your number and if we have a party cancel we can set you up with a table at that time." It wasn't likely that one of the dining halls was going to open, but at least she could pass him off to the dinner host.

"What a useless bitch." She heard softly over the receiver, then a louder voice. "Very well, my number is 555 – 7756, and I expect that the next person I talk to be the manager apologizing for your behavior." She heard the click of his phone and let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding in. She couldn't help but feel she should have expected something like this to happen, guys like them always came in pairs. She looked over at her manager, he was a nice man, a bit portly, but nice all the same. She saw his slightly grayed mustache twitch as he held back a smile at her annoyance.

He had overheard the situation and seen how she had handled it, she never ceased to amaze him; she had the patients of a saint. He had been hard pressed to find someone for the hostess position before she waltzed in the door; he had had to fire seven people in the three months period after the elderly man who had held the position for many years retired. She was his savior from the endless paperwork, she had been working for him for two years, and she deserved a raise. "Ms. Higarashi, I just want to tell you…" He was cut off by the phone. She gave him an apologetic smile as she picked up the phone and gave the well rehearsed lines.

"Sorry to bother you miss, but I need to speak with a Kagome Higarashi." All traces of a smile slid from her features.

"This is she, what is this regarding?" '_Who would be calling me at work?_'

The reply came quickly from the dull, drab female voice in her ear. "This is Mrs. Anderson, vice principal of Sunrise High School, I'm calling about your son, Kojuro Higarashi. He and his friends got into a fight in the school parking lot, they aren't seriously injured, but I must ask that you come in and escort him home, all the other students' parents have also been notified."

"It should be obvious that I'm working right now, so I'm not free to rush over there." She frowned, "Besides if school was over why are you detaining him?" She shook her head lightly trying, and failing, to comprehend the woman's logic.

"He was still on the school's premises, so he is still in violation of our rules." Her curtness was grating Kagome's nerves; she didn't have time for this.

"I don't get off for another two hours; what do you expect me to do?"

"I'm sorry ma'am, but that's not my problem. Your son will not be allowed to leave without a parent or guardian present."

Kagome sighed. "I'll do what I can." She hung up the phone, and turned to her manager who was still standing in front of her listening to her conversation. She opened her mouth but he immediately cut her off.

"Go." She gave him an indignant look, "I'll cover the end of your shift. You've worked here for two years in which time you have never been late, never called in sick, and never left early. If anyone here deserves a break, you do." She smiled a small smile at his approval.

"Thank you sir and I promise this won't happen again." She grabbed her purse from the shelf under the podium and walked over to the time clock pulling out her employee I.D. card.

Before she could swipe her card her manager walked up behind her. "Also, I would like to see you first thing tomorrow." He saw her become ridged, he knew why; it was the same line he gave before he fired an employee. "Nothing bad, I just want to speak with you." He saw her relax and fought off a laugh as she clocked out. She was his best employee, and she seemed to he was only biding his time before getting rid of her.

She turned to face him, "Goodbye sir, and thank you for letting me go early."

"Think nothing of it Ms. Higarashi." He smiled as he watched her, muttering to herself, walk out the front door towards the parking lot. His voice softly echoed his thoughts, "Such a beautiful woman…"

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'_Kojuro, what were you thinking?_' Kagome thought as she pulled out the keys to her car. She climbed into the car a sped off towards the school, '_I hope he's happy now, I had to leave work early and missed out on two hours pay and tips._' She frowned, she didn't want to let out all her anger on the drive down, she needed to save it to yell at her son. She knew it was useless, she just couldn't stay mad at him, all he had to do was give her 'the eyes' and he could get away with murder; in her eyes at least.

Luckily, for Kagome at least, the restaurant wasn't very far from the school. So within a few minutes she was pulling into the students' parking lot of her son's school. She took a deep breath, preparing to meet with the vice principal and other parents. She couldn't help but wonder who had started the fight, she hoped it wasn't Kojuro, she didn't want him turning into his father, or getting into a fight with more than just fists involved. Looking across the parking lot she could see several other parents arriving to claim their children, she recognized Allen and Scott's parents from the few occasions when they had met, but the others she had never seen before. '_Just how big was this fight?_' She was bewildered; she had only expected one or two other sets of parents, not _four_.

Wondering what kind of trouble her son had gotten him self into she exited the car and walked up the grass lined walkway into the main office. The high counters, excellence posters, and elderly faculty, made her feel as though she was back in high school her self. Illogically feeling as though she was the one in trouble and not her son, she approached the counter and spoke to the elderly woman behind it. "Excuse me, Miss?"

The woman looked up from her paperwork and squinted at Kagome through thick glasses. "Yes, how can I help you?" Her voice was weary with age, yet rough, like sandpaper. Kagome held back a wince, the odd combination in her voice increasing Kagome's ill ease.

"I got a call from Mrs. Anderson about…" She began, but the woman cut her off.

The woman's voice took on a hard edge. "Through the door," she pointed at a door behind Kagome. "…and to the right. They're waiting for you." She immediately turned back to her paperwork.

"Thank you." The woman took no notice of Kagome's curt reply. Turning she walked through the door the woman had indicated, and found six teens sitting on the rows of seats lining the walls lining either side of the vice principal's secretary's office. She recognized Allen and Scott sitting between their parents arguing, she saw three other students sitting on the other side of the room one arguing with his father, another sitting silently between his parents, the third made her stop and draw breath in shock, he looked almost exactly like _him_, and sporting a black eye and split lip. His parents hadn't arrived yet; she didn't want to be here when they did, no sense chancing they were who she thought. She looked back to her right, her son sat a few seats away from his friends, sporting a fat lip, a cut above his left eye, his shirt torn, and bloodied knuckles. Her eyes softened from their analytical evaluation, his head hung in what she could only assume was defeat, she didn't like to see him upset; it always broke her heart.

She sat down in the seat next to him and waited for him to acknowledge her, she knew he would tell her what had happened in his own time; it was just his way. She saw several of the other parents look her way when their children indicated her son to them; she really wished she knew what had happened. As if reading her thoughts, her son's voice softly broke through their circle of silence, "He nearly hit us." It was soft spoken but clear to her ears. "I was so tired of him, running around like he owns our school." Her brow furrowed in question but she didn't interrupt, nor did he look at her; his eyes were glued to the floor. "I don't know what came over me, one minute I'm joking with my friends, then, next thing I know I'm picking a fight with him; Allen and Scott by my side ready to back me up." He sighed, "We started at it, then two of his friends," he nodded in the direction of the two boys she didn't know sitting with their parents. "Try and jump me from behind; that's when Allen and Scott got involved. They pulled his friends away from us as we continued to fight, until the teachers came out and broke us all up."

He sighed and finally looked at his mom, "I'm sorry Oka-san, I know you don't want me fighting, I don't know what came over me." He gave her those sad puppy eyes; he wasn't trying to get off without punishment, he just wanted to get the look of disappointment off her face.

It worked like a charm, a sad smile appeared on her features, "You got caught up in the moment; I can understand that. But what I don't get…"

She was cut off as another woman entered the room, her designer clothes and perfectly manicured nails indicating that she rarely associated with anything less than the upper class of society. Her long straight black hair flared out behind her as she turned her head toward the remaining teen, "Inutashio, we're leaving. They have no right to hold you here." She spoke loudly over the hushed conversations of the other families, loud enough to get the vice principals attention.

Kojuro saw his mother's face take on a look of unadulterated hatred; he'd never seen her _this_ angry with anyone before; he didn't understand. He was about to ask her what was wrong when she spoke, "Well, well, well, if it isn't Kikyou; still think you're better than everyone else, and teaching you son to do the same I see." Kojuro gaped at her, but quickly shut his mouth when it agitated his split lip. He saw his friends looking at him in confusion and he shrugged; their guess was as gook as his, he had never seen his mom act like this.

The woman, Kikyou, turned toward Kagome with a blank look, taking in her appearance. An evil smile crossed her features, "Why goodness me, 'The Cling', or, I guess now it's the shrine madden turned whore." Her sickly sweet voice turned Kojuro's stomach, he realized that he'd been right, this woman was a bitch. He could feel his blood beginning to boil again, no body spoke to his mom like that, no body. Before he could react he heard a similar sickly sweet voice from the seat next to him, warping a voice he knew all too well.

"A 'whore' you say?" She wore a false smile that could rot teeth, "This coming from a woman who slept with ninety percent of the guy's in high school." She paused relishing in the indignant look on the woman's face, she had waited years for this. "But, all that aside, do tell, why, if your son doesn't even go to this school, is he here so often? If he wants to go to public school so bad why don't you let him? He could be exactly like his father; you know, get some trashy gold-digger pregnant and marry her when she shows up with his kid." All wyes were now on the two women, even the vice principal's who had exited her office moments before.

All class forgotten, Kikyou balled her fists tightly, gritted her teeth, and ground out, "'Gold-digger'; did you just call me a 'gold-digger'?" There was fire in her eyes; Kagome's nonchalant shrug fueled her anger. "At least Inuyasha took responsibility for his son; unlike whatever shit _paid_ you."

He was going to hit her, damn the chivalrous crap. He jumped from his seat; only to find her on the ground cradling her face with Inutashio by her side trying to help. His mother stood above them still lowering her fist, "Kojuro," she didn't take her eyes off Kikyou, her voice cold as ice. "Next time, kick his ass."

"Dude, your mom totally kicked her ass." Scott's awed admiration seemed to break the stupor that had befallen the gathering. Everyone turned their eyes to Kojuro looking for an explanation, he shrugged, he had absolutely no idea what was going on, his mother never acted like this.

Kagome broke out of her rage induced trance and looked guiltily around the room, a slight blush tinting her cheeks. Her eyes locked with the vice principals, "I'm sorry M…"

She was cut off by Kikyou, still on the floor and regaining her composure. "You should be sorry, you stupid bi…"

Kagome's eyes lowered back to Kikyou and she cut her off. "I wasn't apologizing to you."

Kikyou got back to her feet and glared at Kagome, "Well then we'll just have to see what my lawyer has to say about this." She stood up and walked to the door; Inutashio trailing behind her. Pulling the door open she turned to the vice principal, "Mrs. Anderson, if you try to hold my son here again I'm going to do everything in my power to ruin you." With that she stormed out of the office. Inutashio followed, after sending a glare at Kojuro, slamming the door behind him.

Kagome sighed, "Mrs. Anderson, I must apologize for my actions. This is far from my usual temperament. It's just that woman; she's always had a knack for rubbing me the wrong way, even when I had no idea who she was." She looked around at all the other eyes on her; no one spoke, so she continued, "I also owe all of you an apology. I'm sorry you had to see that." The parents looked at each other, she knew what they were thinking; they were atoning Kojuro's actions to her 'bad influence.'

After a few moments of furtive muttering from the families Kagome was getting irritated. In a calm collected voice she spoke again to the vice principal, "Is there anything else? Or, are we free to take out children home?"

Mrs. Anderson, who had been staring at Kagome, blinked a couple of times; seeming to just realize that she had been the one to call them all here. "A-ah, yes," She stuttered trying to gain control of herself. "Yes, well I just need to inform you all that, for fighting on school property, all students involved will be receiving a month's detention." Her secretary handed her a file, "I just need your signatures on these forms, then you're all free to go." She handed out the papers in the file to their respective students. Receiving the needed signatures she handed them back to her secretary who began filing them. "Thank you. It was nice meeting you all." She retreated into her office, still looking slightly out of it.

Nothing else was said as the families left the office and walked out to their respective cars. Kojuro watched his mom as they got into their car, deciding now was as good a time as any, he asked her the question that had been running through his head since her little display, "What was that about?"

She didn't answer for a moment as she started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. Then, in a resigned voice, she began. "I knew her in high school, we were on opposite ends of the social ladder, her 'the popular' and I the 'looser'." She took a deep breath, "While we should have had the typical minimal interaction, I happened to be friends with her boyfriends friends. I thought he was an as… a jerk, _she_ thought I was trying to steal him from her. He didn't care whether his friends were friends with me or not, to my amazement he even defended my friendship with them; which lead to the argument that caused them to break up.

"The next few months were touchier for me, I guess she figured if she got rid of me then they would get back together. Then she just vanished, she was gone for the rest of the school year and part of the next. When she came back she immediately started back onto her old tactics, picking on me and trying to get him back. "She closed her eyes but reopened them quickly, as much as she wanted to block the memories, she didn't want to kill them. "I over heard her tell him that she'd had his kid and that she wanted them to be a family. She finally got everything she ever wanted, he married her, I got shoved out of the picture, my boyfriend, your father, left me for someone else, and I was miserable." She glanced at her son out of the corner of her eye; he seemed to be concentrating on what she was saying. She sighed, "That's what that was about; just bad blood from high school."

Kojuro was silent for a moment still thinking about what she told him. She was leaving something out, he knew it, he just didn't know what. "So, you knew 'the Hayou' in high school, you were friends with his friends, and she didn't like that." He looked at her as they turned into the trailer park they lived in. "But how did that cause my father to break up with you?"

She stiffened; she hadn't meant to say that. Pulling into the driveway she relaxed, "It doesn't matter, it's in the past.' Getting out of the car she opened the front door and went inside leaving Kojuro in the car.

He knew that was the end of it, she wasn't going to tell him anything more. He sighed getting out of the can and headed into their home. Opening the door he turned back looking at the late afternoon sun, '_I'm missing something, and I have a feeling it's staring me in the face_.'

"Kojuro, are you trying to air condition the city? Come inside and close the door." Kagome called from inside, "We still have your punishment to discuss."

Kojuro winced as he closed the door, he didn't want to discuss punishment. '_Isn't a month's detention punishment enough?_' He sat on their shabby couch across from his mother on the mismatched loveseat and waited for her to speak; he didn't have to wait long.

She seemed to be choosing her words carefully, "You know that I don't approve of fighting, and as much as I would like to ground you until you're eighteen, my behavior today won't allow me to. Therefore, I'm going to have to do something less extreme." She took on a thoughtful expression, "But first, let me clean that cut, I know you don't want a scar on your forehead," she paused and smirked, "I might have to start calling you Harry."

Kojuro laughed as Kagome walked into the kitchen to get their first aid kit, she didn't crack jokes often, and when she did they were rarely funny; but there was just something funny about her comparing him to the main character of one of her favorite book series. He was glad that she still had a scene of humor, she'd had a hard life because of his father, and he hated the man for that. It didn't really matter to him that the man had never been there for him, just that he'd made his mother suffer. She was disowned by her family and friends, forced to drop out of school, which, as far as he could tell, she loved, and had to get a job, all at the age of fifteen. He could remember back when he was little, she'd been so depressed, her small smiles she gave mow were equivalent to any other person rolling on the floor with laughter. As his mother reentered the room with their first aid kit, the neutral expression back on her face, he wondered what she thought of him. All he knew of the man was that he was inu youki, and she hadn't even needed to tell him that. He had figured that out for him self; that is of course once he realized that not everyone looked different at night. This was the other thing he hated his father for, the traits of a hayou inu youki.

Kagome laughed softly at his disgruntled face, she had tried to teach him to accept himself for who he is, but he always seemed to disregard her attempts. She hoped that his band would help him see that it wasn't a curse, though it was a double edged sword, all performances were going to be at night in his hayou form. People he knew would probably think he was dressing up to look like '_The Hayou,' and be cruel about it; after all, it isn't **normal** for peoples' form to change every night_.' She didn't want to think about it, it was his choice and he would have to deal with it how he saw fit. The bemusement fell from her face, "Don't think I'll forget about your punishment."

"Of not course. You never forget anything." He pouted, "Why are you going to punish me anyway? I didn't do anything that you didn't." Looking her in the eye he saw them steel over.

"Keep up the attitude Kojuro and I'll cancel your birthday party." A look of dawning came across his face, she laughed inwardly. '_He forgot his own birthday; poor kid_.' "What, did you forget your sixteenth birthday? Or, were you planning on staying fifteen forever?"

"I didn't forget," he replied quickly, his voice slightly higher than normal. "I-I-I just didn't think you would do something that mean." '_She's not gonna' buy it. How the hell could I forget my own birthday? Especially after she told me she had something special planed_.' This was going to be his first true party; usually it was just his mom, him, a small cake, and a few presents. He just hoped she didn't set it up as to much of a kid's party.

"You're right, I won't. But, what I _am_ going to do is not let Alicia and Valerie come and give you their gifts, I never thought they were appropriate and now I have a reason to not allow them."

Kojuro blushed slightly, he knew what kind of 'gifts' those two gave; and, while it was great that he could have college girls hanging all over him, the fact that they were work friends with his mother kind of spoiled it. That and they liked physical contact even when just talking to him, or any other guy they liked, and as much as he hated to admit it, he was shy where girls were concerned, "So that's gonna' be my punishment; sounds fair." He tried and failed to keep the relief he felt out of his voice and off his face.

Kagome looked directly into Kojuro's eyes, '_Can I even call it a punishment if he's relieved_?' He didn't hold her gaze; his eyes fell to the floor. _'I wonder what he's thinking about. I'm sure he realizes he isn't actually getting punished, maybe he feels guilty about it_.' A yawn escaped her, 'Oh well, no time to ponder now. I need some sleep.' "Are you hungry?"

Kojuro gave her a strange look thrown off by her seemingly random change of topic. "No, I'm good." He saw her yawn, and smiled at her, "Go to bed Oka-chan. You don't have to worry about me; I can feed myself."

She gave him a tired but thoughtful look, "You know; you're right… Maybe you should start making _me_ breakfast."

"Not if you want to survive it," his voice was dead serious, and then he smiled. "Or, I can make you ramen."

Sighing she stood up and started toward her room, "You and your unhealthy obsession with ramen." He started laughing, "I'm serious Kojuro, all that processed garbage is going to reek havic with your stomach one day." Shaking her head at her son's continued laughter she entered her room.

'_A nice hot shower and then bed,_' she thought as she pulled a rove and a pair of pajamas out of a dresser drawer. Stripping off her clothes she threw them in the hamper and pulled on her robe, it would be a bad idea for her to enter the bathroom in her birthday suit; not when she had to share it with her son. She knocked on her door to the bathroom, she figured that he probably wasn't in there but after that time she walked in on him in there, they decided to always knock before entering.

Starting the shower to let the water heat, she began cleaning off the counter, '_Amazing, I can get him to keep his room clean but I never could break his habit of trashing the bathroom_.' She sighed, as much as she loved her son, all she wanted right now was a bathroom of her own; one she didn't need to clean before using. Hanging her robe on the back of the door she stepped into the stream of hot water, letting it wash away the stress of the day. '_Maybe Kojuro's right. Maybe I do work to hard, but if I don't then I'd be hard pressed to get the money for college when we need it. I could get it from his father, Kami-sama knows he has enough, but he doesn't even know about Kojuro; he'd probably try to take him away from me, I couldn't handle that_.' Taking a deep breath she watched a rivulet of water run across her bare skin, '_I've put myself on display, through both my jobs I'm getting indecent looks from men, and unlike other girls I work with, I don't like it; **he** wouldn't like it either._' She sighed, '_Why an I worrying about this now? This is my time to relax_.'

Silencing her mind she finished her shower put on her pajamas and lay down in bed with a towel still wrapped around her hair. '_I wonder what's taking him so long to reply. All I want is one little critique, and here it is four months later, with only two weeks to go and I still don't have it_.' She pulled the covers tightly to her chest. '_T should have known he wouldn't do it, he doesn't care enough; it was just a game to him. It's either that or she intercepts his mail. Either way I need to start thinking about what else I can get Kojuro, I can't leave him with nothing_.' She yawned, '_Oh well, I'll have to think about it tomorrow, right now I need some sleep_.' Burrowing deeper into her covers she quickly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Kojuro stood from the couch and stretched, wincing slightly as he pulled what he was sure was a developing burse on his chest. '_I can't believe I'm not grounded. It's just too good to be true_.' He walked over to the phone, '_I'm so stupid, forgetting my own birthday. I didn't even remember long enough to invite people, how's it going to be any different than any other year if nobody shows up. Besides, Oka-san has to work that night so she won't even be there, it'd be depressing sitting here alone on my birthday_.' Picking up the receiver he began to dial Allen's number, '_I hope they aren't in to much trouble, I really don't want us to miss our first gig; and I know Allen will sneak out to go if he has to_.' He finished dialing and listened to the line ring.

"Hello, Smith residence." Said a woman's voice over the phone, she sounded a little angry to him, and me started regretting calling.

"Hi Mrs. Smith, it's Kojuro; I was wondering if I could talk to Allen for a moment, not long, I just need to ask him one question." He paused a moment waiting for a reply. After a moment's silence he continued, not wanting to be hung up on. "I could just ask you if you prefer, since he would just have to ask you anyway."

"That's acceptable, what do you want?"

'_She's defiantly angry_.' He put on his sweetest most innocent voice. "I just wanted to know if he'll be allowed to come to my birthday party, it's not for another two weeks, and I know he's probably grounded and everything but, it would mean a lot to me if you would allow him to come."

"We'll see. But, for now, he isn't allowed to use the phone or talk to his friends, more specifically, you. Good-bye Kojuro."

"Alright thank you Mrs. Smith. I truly appr…" He heard a dial tone in his ear. "She hung up on me." He stated to his own disbelief, granted she had never really liked him, she thought he was a bad influence on her precious baby boy, but she had always liked him better than Allen's other friends. '_Oh well, I guess I could call Scott and ask him now. I just hope his parents are a little less angry_.'

Picking the phone back up he dialed Scott's cell number, he didn't expect an answer, but if he could avoid his parents he was going to. After two rings there was an answer, "S'up Dude?" It was unmistakably Scott and he didn't seem to be grounded, seeing as he still had his phone.

"You aren't grounded? How'd you swing that?" Disbelief filled Kojuro's voice.

A laugh was heard through the phone, "Naw, I ain't grounded, Pop's proud that I 'stood up to a bully.' Hell he wanted to raise my allowance, Ma' wouldn't let him though." Scott sighed, "But, s' cool, at least I'm not grounded. Speakin' of which, ain't you grounded? We all know what your Ma' thinks of fightin'"

"Yeah I know what you mean. I'm surprised I'm not grounded till I'm eighteen, which is what I think was her original plan, but she said she couldn't do it because she got into a fight less than an hour after ours. All she ended up doing was forbidding two of her friends from giving me their gifts and tha…"

"Dude! Her friends? From work? Which ones, was it the two who wore the G-string bikinis to my pool party?"

Kojuro sighed, '_I never should have taken them to that_.' "Yeah, and they do have names you know, they're Alicia and Valerie. But she doesn't approve of them spending too much time with me you know."

The disappointment in Scotts voice made Kojuro gape, "Damn, they probably would of given you some _great_ gifts Dude."

Kojuro was glad that Scott couldn't see him at the moment; his face had gone quite red. "Yeah I suppose they do."

Scott laughed, "Oh, I forgot, you ain't no good with girls, you get all mumbly and shit. Dude, you need to get over that; once Demonic becomes famous you're gonna' have girls hanging all over you twenty-four seven. And, Dude, if you don't put out, they gonna' start thinking you're gay."

Kojuro's face became even redder, "I'm not gay."

"I know that Dude but they won't, and you're gonna' need to show them that." Kojuro could hear the wide smile in his 'friends' voice, "What, you gonna' save it for the wedin' night. A man needs to get laid, he will die without it."

"Our priorities are different Scott, you want sex and I just want to play." He paused, "So you going to come to my party or what?"

The line was quiet for a moment as Scott pretended to think it over, "Sure Dude, I'll be there."

Kojuro smiled relieved to be off the sensitive topic, '_Kami-sama, I am a mama's boy_.' "Cool, it's at my house in two weeks, don't forget."

"I won't, I'm not the one who forgets important things that would be you."

"Well if you're done picking on me I'm gonna' go. And if you get a chance see if you can talk Allen's parents into letting him come."

"Will do Dude. See you at school tomorrow?"

Kojuro smirked, "You say that like I'm the one who ditches class."

"Well I can always try to get you to join me can't I?"

"Try and never succeed." Kojuro sighed, "I'll see you tomorrow Scott, and don't ditch the teachers are going to be looking for an excuse to expel us now."

"Alright, Alright, I won't ditch tomorrow, and I'll see you in school. Later Dude."

"Later." Hanging up the phone Kojuro walked toward his room, '_I don't have any home work so I might as well get some practice in_.' He pulled a box from under his bed, the one place his mother never looked, and opened it. It was full of old photos and stuff he had found in a box his mom had thrown away years ago, he didn't know who all the people in pictures were, but he assumed they were her family. He picked up what looked like a family portrait; there was an old man wearing a shrine robes in the back along with a reserved quiet looking woman in an apron in front of them stood a young boy and the only person he recognized, his mother. He guessed this was taken just before 'the incident,' as he preferred to call it, she looked to be around his age.

'_I'll become famous, that will show them. Then I'll track them down and rub it in their faces, they'll be sorry they did that to mom_.' He didn't hold any ill will for himself, he had never even met them, they never got the chance to hurt him; but he sure as hell wasn't going to let them be happy about what they did to his mother, they'd enjoyed it long enough.

He trough the picture back into the box and pulled out a cassette tape, the thing was ancient, but it worked like it was nearly new. '_She must not have listened to this often; it'd be all warped if she had. I wonder if my father gave it to her. If he did I wonder how he got 'The Hayou' to sing it for him_.' He put the tape into his walkman and rewound it while unplugging his guitar from his amplifier, he didn't want to wake his mom up after all; she'd had a bad day.

Playing the tape he strummed along with his guitar, trying to recreate the tune; he'd been trying for years, so far he had gotten through the song without error only twice. As the words started he sang along softly, it was kind of sad when he listened to the lyrics, the man was begging for forgiveness, and basically saying that she is his reason for living. '_He was never granted forgiveness, if he was he'd be here now, I wouldn't have grown up without a father_.'

When the song ended he pulled the tape out and stared at it. He had all 'The Hayou's' albums, even some stuff that had never been released, but this song was no where among his collection, it only existed on this tape. From the sound of it, it was recorded in someone's garage, and, if it was a message from his father, it was made when 'The Hayou' was his age, making it likely one of a kind. He liked to think about it that way, he had something no one else had or ever would have, the one and only recording of a song by 'The Hayou' from before he was famous. '_I wonder how much people would pay for this, it's old and a bad recording, but it's also one of a kind_.' He saw the scrawled writing on the label, it had only one word and was the reason he could never sell it. There in what he assumed was his father's writing was his mother's name, the tape was hers, no matter who has it, it belongs to her.

'_Her name might just increase the value, it's the only thing that has been found that doesn't have 'Kikyou's' name on it. It would introduce the idea of a love affair between them_.' He laughed lightly to himself, '_She said herself she thinks he's an ass_.' Sighing at the thought of the money they could get for the one thing he knew he could never sell, he put it back in the box, picked his guitar and began playing a few of the songs they would be playing in the gig. '_Wait, the gig is tonight,_' he thought almost frantically '_Assuming Allen's parents let him out of the house. Damn, Scott's right; I am the one who forgets important things_.' Getting up from his bed he replaced the box beneath his bed and began preparing for the gig.

* * *

_**A/N - It is probably going to be a while untill I can update again, I haven't had any time to write. Forgive me I'm working 7 days a week and taking college classes, well failing them anyways, and I don't have any time to think let alone wright. Any way I appoligize.**

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